Conveyer mechanism with article turning units



June 30, 1953 J. E. SOCKE 2,643,778

' CONVEYER MECHANISM WITH ARTICLE TURNING UNITS Filed Dec. 30, 1948 6shets -sheet l INVENTOR.

JOHN E. soc/ 5 B 92... a

A TTOENEYS v J. E. SOCKE June 30, 1.953

CONVEYER MECHANISM WITH ARTICLE TURNING UNITS Filed Dec. 30, 1948 6Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN E. SOCKE A TTOEWZYS J. E. SOCKE CONVEYERMECHANISM WITH ARTICLE TURNING UNITS June 30, 1953 Filed Dad. 30, 1948 6Sheets-Sheet 3 JNVENTOR.

JOHN E. SOC/(E BY JAM A ,ZMA

ATTOENEY5 J 30,- 1953 J. E. socKE 2,643,778

CONVEYER MECHANISM WITH ARTICLE TURNING UNITS Fii'ed Dec. so, 1948 6Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Q JOHN E. SUE/(E BY Z Arroe/vzsys June 30, 1953socK: 2,643,778

CONVEYER MECHANISM WiTH-ARTICLE TURNING UNITS Fil'd' DQOa- 30, 1948 6Sheets-Sheet. 5

INVENTOR, JOHN 5 soc/ 5 12 60,441 ifm.

June 30, 1953 J. E. socKE CONVEYER MECHANISM WITH ARTICLE TURNING UNITS6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. so, 1948 INVENTOR. JOHN E. SOC/(E BY Z aPatented June 30, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GONVEYER MECHANISMWITH A RTlGLE TURN NG UNITS h p s inv ntion relates to a conveyormechanism for can bodies and other articles and has particular referenceto devices for gem y t ni the arti es from one position into anotherposition While they are l'fiivelingalong a predetermined path of travel,

n the ufacture of cans or contain rs and parts thereof fabrication ofthe articles usuall is effected progressively in a series of machinesconnected by runways and commonly called a c n line. In such a line itis sometimes QGQGS: sary to turn the articles from an endwise posi-.tion into a sidewise position or vice versa to prop! ly Operate upon thmh s is sometimes ac complished by dropping or otherwise bringing thearticles into contact with a stationary turn! ing peg and catching themin the desired posie tion as they turn, for further advancement theturned position. With fragil articles such turn? ing practice sometimesdents, nicks, bends or otherwise mars the articles in such a manner asto render them useless or to cause serious .diffi: culty in effectingsubsequent operations upon them.

The instant invention contemplates overcome ing this .difficulty byproviding a mechanism in which the articles are handled gently An object.of the invention is the provision of a mechanism for turning articleswherein the articles may be received in .a convenient discharge positionfrom a source of supply of the articles ch s a a hin or a c veyo andrepos tioned or tur ed i o n he noit on to convenient reception byanother machine or conveyor for a subsequent operation, while thearticles are moving in a substantia ly continuous procession.

Another object is the provision of such a turning mechanism wherein thearticles are turned gently and while fully supported and under con.-trol so that dentingnicking, bending or other: wise marring or injurinof the articles eliminated.

Another object is the provision of such a turning mechanism which iscompact in construction and which is particularly adapted for usebetween successive machines in a line where space requirements arereduced to a minirnum.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better under.- stood from the following description, which,taken in connection with the accompanying .drawings, discloses apreferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure .1 is a side view .of a conveyor mecha- 2 o sm embod n the n t ntnven o with parts broke awa tlif. Vie sho in ca bodies n iously inmostpositions n heme ha s Fi ,2 is a to plan V ew i h m han m h wn Fig. l,-with parts b ken away;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken sub: stontially alone the iiii-. Fig. .1; wi h parts brok n awa Fi 4. i enl rges sectional il tak nsu stanti ll alon th ro en ine 4.14 Fig: 3, w th arts bm ien a d, i c uin a si am of el ct c a ara us sed. w th the m chanism;

Fi 5 i e i i giSl P Q 1$ p fi fi fi EW f the so ts o he can body turningun shown n the u per c r-no of the me ha m a 1111s: t t ed. in Rio- 3;

Fi 6 is i M vii -W f a 13 9 1 rm 0f paratus embodying the instantinvention, with o r-ts b o e away, the v ew showing can bo i 1.11 placeinthe m chanism;

Eis- ,-7 a top plan i w of t e me hani m nd its an bodies show n. F withar s br0= awa Fig. :8 is a transverse sec o al view aken stantial y aong the line 8 -18 in F g. 7, with pa ts broken away;

:9 is an enlarged sectional detail taken substantially along the line 99in Fig. 6, with parts broken away;

Figs. '10 and 11 are sectional views taken sub: stantially along theline l;0 .-l0 in Fig. .9, the views showing certain of the parts indifi'erent positions.

Fig. 12 is a sectional -.view taken substantially along the line nee-12in Fig, '7, with parts broken away; and

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 13-43Fig. 12, with parts broken away.

.As a "p e r-red a d xem la y emb d me t 9f th instant invention Figs.*1 to 5 inclusive of the drawings disclose a conveyor mechanism which isadapted to be placed between successive i e t ne and h h i til ed freceiving sheet metal can bodies Alfrom one of the machines and forturning them gently into a predetermined position ;for' subsequenttreatmerit in the other of the machines before :discharge into thislatter machine. l lovv ever, the invention i ne ly W l adopte t artic esoth a "bodi s and to ar ic e made of non.- metal io as l a .lnota lic aer als a di closed n the modified term o the invention.

By way of example, Figs. 1 to inclusive of the drawings disclose such acan body turning mechanism interposed between an endless chain conveyorll (Fig. 1) and a stationary discharge chute I 2 for receiving the canbodies A from the conveyor in an endwise relation and for repositioningor turning them into a sidewise relation so that they will roll on theirsides along the chute 12 to a subsequent operation machine when they aredischarged into the chute. It should be understood however that thisreceiving and discharge relation may be reversed if desired, bytransposition of the conveyor and the chute.

The conveyor ll may be a conventional elevator as used in can makingfactories for transferring partially fabricated cans from one machine toanother or may be an ordinary transfer conveyor, disposed in either avertical or a horizontal position for the same purpose. The mechanismend of this endless chain conveyor operates preferably over a drivensprocket l5 mounted on a continuously rotating drive shaft i6 journaledin a pair of spaced bearing brackets ll bolted to a pair of spaced andparallel side frames 18 which constitute the main frame of themechanism.

The drive shaft l6 may be rotated in any suitable manner eitherindependently or by connection with the machine from which the conveyorreceives the can bodies. The conveyor chain H is fitted with spaced feeddogs 2| which propel the can bodies A in spaced and timed order inendwise relation and in a substantially continuous procession along aplurality of spaced and parallel guide rails 22 disposed adjacent thefeeding run of the conveyor. The guide rails 22 terminate adjacent theconveyor sprocket l5. This is a conventional conveyor or elevatorstructure.

As a can body A being propelled by the conveyor l l approaches theterminal end of the guide rails 22, it is picked up by the turningmechanism and is carried toward the discharge chute l2. For this purposethe turning mechanism includes a movable carrier or transfer memberwhich in the preferred form of the invention is a carrier disc or wheel25 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is rotatable relative to and in time with theendless chain conveyor Ii.

The carrier wheel 25 is located between the side frames l8 and is keyedonto and is continuously rotated by a horizontally disposed driven shaft25 journaled in a pair of spaced bearing brackets 2'1, 28 bolted to theside frames [8. The shaft is driven in any suitable manner in time withthe conveyor sprocket shaft 16, such as for example by way of a chainand sprocket connection between the conveyor sprocket shaft 16 and thewheel driven shaft 26.

Picking up of the can bodies A from the conveyor II is effectedpreferably by a magnetic transfer or turning unit 3! which moves withthe wheel 25 and which grips and supports a can body during the turningoperation. There are a plurality of these transfer units 3! spacedaround the outer periphery of the wheel in accordance with the spacingof the can bodies advanced by the conveyor 1 I. I

Each of the transfer units 3| includes a gripper member such as ahorseshoe magnet 32 (see also Fig. 5) which may be a permanent magnet ifdesired or which may be a normally deactivated gripper such as thenormally de-energized electromagnet shown in the drawings. These magnetsare disposed in a radial position relative to a the periphery of thewheel 25 with their legs extending outwardly. At their outer ends, thelegs are shaped to iit the curvature or other contour of a can body andthus serve as a saddle or support for the body as best shown in Figs. 1,3 and 5.

Each of the magnets 32 at its inner end is housed in an oscillatable'nonmagnetic cupshaped casing or turning element 34 (Fig. 5) and arelocked in place by a set screw 35 threadedly engaged in a side wall ofthe casing. There is one of these casings for each magnet. The casingsare disposed in radial cup-shaped bearings 36 formed on arms 31 whichproject laterally from the inner face of the wheel 25. At its inner end,each casing 34 is formed with a trunnion 38 (Fig. 3) which extendsthrough an aperture in the bottom of the associated bearing 35.

7 Beyond the bearing 35, the trunnion 38 is keyed to a turning lever 41which is held in place by a lock nut 42 threadedly engaged on a threadedportion of the trunnion. The free end of the turning lever ll carries acam roller or ball 44 which operates in a cam groove 45 formed in astationary barrel cam 46 disposed adjacent the carrier wheel 25 andsecured to a hub ll (Fig. 3) of the wheel shaft bearing 28. The cam 46effects the turning of magnets 32 and the can bodies A held thereon aswill be hereinafter explained.

Electric current for operating the electromagnets 32 is supplied fromany suitable source of current, through a pair of wires 5!, 52 (Fig. 4)which are connected to a coil 53 interposed between the legs of each ofthe magnets. These wires extend through an aperture in the casings 34and project from a slot 54 formed in the bearings 36. The wires 5! aresecured to the bearings 36 and thus through the machine are connected toa ground 55 (Fig. 4)

The wires 52 are connected to current conducting brushes or shoes 56which are secured to insulator blocks 51 attached to the bearings 35.There is one shoe 55 for each magnet. The free ends of the shoes engageagainst a stationary curved electrode 58 which is disposed adjacent thepath of travel of the magnets 32 and which extends in a clockwisedirection as viewed in Fig. 1, from a starting place adjacent theconveyor H to a terminus adjacent the chute i2. This electrode 58 (seealso Fig. 3) is set into an insulator 59 secured in a recess formed inan upright plate 6| which is integral with the wheel shaft bearing 28and the cam retaining hub 41. The electrode 58 is connected by a wire 52(Fig. 4) to a source of electric current 63 which in turn is connectedby a ground wire '54 to a suitable ground.

Hence as the carrier wheel 25 rotates in its clockwise direction asviewed in Fig. 1, and as hereinbefore mentioned, the can body turningunits 34 move with the wheel and their current conducting shoes 56during a portion of their travel, ride along the electrode 58 and duringthe remainder of their travel are free of the electrode. In a similarmanner the turning levers 4| of the turning units 3% trail the units asthey move with the carrier wheel 25 and thus cause their cam rollers 44to traverse the cam groove 45 in the stationary cam 48. The groove isdesigned to turn or reposition the units as they travel from theconveyor H to the chute l2 and to hold them stationary in can bodyreceiving position during the remainder of their travel.

Thus as a turning unit 3| travels under the carrier wheel 25 as viewedin Fig. l and moves upwardly toward a can body A advancing on theconveyor II in time with the turning unit,

the de-energized magnet 32 is in proper angular position, in respect tothe axis of the can body to receive the can body, and the body and themagnet gently meet as they approach each other at the terminal end ofthe guide rails 22 as viewed in Fig. 1. As the magnet engages the canbody the current conducting shoe 56 of the magnet rides up onto theelectrode 58 and this establishes an electric circuit through the coil53 of the magnet and thus energizes the magnet. This causes the can bodyA to cling to the magnet.

With a can body A clinging to the energized magnet 32, the body leavesthe conveyor I! and continues its travel with the carrier wheel 25toward the chute i2. During this portion of the travel of the can bodythe current conducting shoe as remains in contact with the electrode 58and the magnet thus remains energized to hold and support the body.

As soon as the can body held by the magnet is clear of the conveyor IIand its guide rails 22, the cam roller 4d of the turning unit 3| beginsto traverse a diverging portion of the cam groove 55 which portion ofthe groove shifts the turning lever ll and thus rotates the magnetcasing 34 in its bearing 36. This rotation of the casing and the magnettherein continues as the carrier wheel 25 advances until the held canbody is completely turned or repositioned on the axis of the casing,from the 'endwise relation of the body into the sidewise relation asbest shown in Figs. 1 and 2.. The axis 'of the can body is thus shiftedthrough an angle of ninety degrees from the position in which the bodywas received. Within certain limits the shifting of the can body axiscould be varied as desired.

When the turning unit and the body A reach the chute I2, the body is ina full sidewise relation. [it this place in the cycle of operation ofthe mechanism the current conducting shoe 56 rides off the electrode 58and the magnet 32 thereupon becomes de-energized. This releases the canbody from the magnet and the body thereupon is stripped off the magnetand falls on its side into the chute l2 and rolls therealong to thesubsequent operation machine as hereinbefore mentioned. Guide rails 56(Figs. 1 and 2) forming a part of the chute confine and direct throlling can body to its destination. The bottom guide rail 56 acts as astripper for removing the body from the magnet.

After delivering the can body A into the chute I2, the cam groove 45 inthe cam 36 shifts the cam roller t l and its turning arm H of theturning unit 3i back into its normal position as the unit travelsdownwardly under the carrier wheel. This oscillates the casing 34 andits deenergized magnet into their normal positions where the magnet isagain in proper angular position to receive another can body in anendw'ise relation from the conveyor ll. This completes the cycle ofoperation of the mechanism.

In the modified form of the invention as disclosed in Figs. 6 to 13inclusive, the can bodies A or other articles are carried from theendless chain conveyor II to the stationary discharge chute I2 or viceversa, by pneumatic gripper units ll (Figs. 6, 8, 9 and 12) mounted onan endless chain transfer conveyor 'or carrier .12 having rectilinearmovement instead of by the magnets 32 mounted on the carrier wheel 25 asin the first described embodiment.

In this modified form of the invention the chain transfer conveyor 01'carrier I2 comprises two spaced and parallel endless chains I3 whichoperate over a pair of spaced and parallel drive sprockets I4 located atthe entrance end of the machine (at the left as viewed in Figs. 6 and 7)adjacent the feed-in conveyor l l and over a similar pair of idlersprockets I5 located at the discharge end of the machine (at the rightin Figs. 6 and 7) adjacent the discharge chute I2. The idler sprocketsI5 are mounted on a transverse idler shaft 'I'I journaled in a longbearing I0 formed on an upright web section I9 of a frame 89 whichconstitutes the main frame of the machine.

The driving sprockets I4 are mounted on a drive shaft 82 (see also Fig.8) journaled in a long bearing 83 formed on the web section is of theframe. This drive shaft is continuously rotated by an endless drivingchain 85 which operates over a sprocket 36 mounted on the drive shaft 82and over a sprocket 81 mounted on a main drive shaft 88. The main driveshaft 88 (see Fig. 12) is located between the idler sprocket shaft 17and the drive sprocket shaft 82 and is j'ournaled in a bearing 9| formedin the frame web section 59 and in a spaced bearing 92 formed in abracket 93 bolted to the main .frame 00. This main drive shaft 88 isrotated continuously in any suitable manner and through this shaft theentire conveyor i2 is operatedcontinuously.

The pneumatic gripper units II carried on the conveyor I2 are arrangedin spaced order along the conveyor and include resilient vacuum cupslill (Figs. 6, 8, 9 and 12). There is one vacuum cu I01 for each gripperunit II. Each vacuum cup is secured to a hollow stem or turning elementI02 (Fig. 9.) which is rotatably mounted in a vertical position in abearing I03 formed on a cross bar I04, the ends of which are providedwith lugs I05 constituting links of the conveyor chains I3. The bearingsI03 are located between the chains I3, and the cross bars I04 span thespace between the chains and connect the chains transversely so that thebars move with the chains.

Hence as the conveyor chains I3 operate over the driving sprockets itand the idler sprockets it, they carry the gripper units II in acontinuous procession upwardly around the driving sprockets l4 and pastthe entrance conveyor II and thence along a horizontal straight linepath of travel along the upper run of the conveyor I2, and thendownwardly around the idler sprockets I 5 past the discharge chute I2and .into the lower runs of the conveyor.

As a gripper unit I! is propelled past the en trance conveyor H, thevacuum cup ID! of the unit presses against the can body A beingdischarged from the entrance conveyor and simultaneously with thisaction a vacuum is created in the cup to pick off the engaged body andhold it tightly on the gripper unit for movement with the unit. For thispurpose the turning element I02 of the gripper unit is formed with asegmental slot HI (Figs. 9, l0 and 11). which communica-tes with theinterior of the turning element and with one end of a flexible vacuumtube [I 2 secured in the side of the unit bearing I03. The opposite endof the tube H2 is connected into a port H3 (Figs. 7, 12 and 13) formedin and extending through a rotary valve disc H4 mounted on and rotatingwith the main drive-shaft 88. There is one of these tubes 2 and ports H3for each gripper unit II and the ports are arranged in spaced relationaround the valve disc II l adjacent its outer periphery as best shown inFig. 13. The valve rotates once for each complete cycle of travel of agripper unit 'lI around the sprockets l4, with the conveyor chains I3 sothat a unit and its port are maintained in a predetermined relation.

The rotary valve disc II4 operates against a stationary valve plate IIGwhich is secured to the upright bracket 93. This plate I i6 is formedwith a curved groove II! (Figs. 12 and 13) which is in alignment withthe path of travel of the ports I IS in the rotary disc I It. One end ofthis groove I I7 communicates with a vacuum pipe H8 (Figs. '7 and 13)which is secured in the plate H6 and which leads to any suitable sourceof vacuum. Through this connection the groove HT is maintainedcontinuously in a vacuumized condition.

The groove II? is so located that when a gripper unit II moves intoposition adjacent a body A on the conveyor II, the port N3 of this unitmoves into register and communication with the groove and hence the cupll of the unit is immediately vaouumized as hereinbefore mentioned togrip and hold the body A on the unit. The groove is of suflicient lengthto maintain this cup in its vacuumized condition until the 1 unit Hreaches the discharge chute I2.

As the gripper unit II passes the chute I2, the port N3 of the unitmoves out of communication with the groove II! and registers with anatmosphere pipe I2I secured in the valve plate IIG adjacent the terminalend of the groove Hi. This pipe is open to the outside atmosphere. Thusthe vacuum is cut ofi from the cup IIlI and the outside atmosphere isadmitted into the cup. This breaks the vacuum in the cup and releasesthe can body A into the chute I2.

Turning of the body A from the position it is received from the entranceconveyor II into the position in which it is to be discharged into thechute i2 is efiected while the gripper unit II moves along the upper runof the conveyor 72. This turning action is effected by a turning leverI23 (Figs. 6, 7 and 9) which is secured to a trunnion I26 (Fig. 9)projecting from the turning element IE2. The free end of the turninglever I23 carries a cam roller I26 which operates in a cam groove I21 ofa stationary cam rail I28 which extends along the path of travel of theconveyor 72. The cam rail is supported on brackets :29 secured to theupright Web section 19 of the main frame 86.

Hence as soon as a can body A held by a gripper unit TI is clear of theentrance conveyor II and its guide rails 22, the cam roller I26 of thegripper unit, in traversing the stationary cam groove i2'I, enters adiverging portion of the groove which shifts the turning lever I23 andthus rotates the turning element Hi2 in its bearing I03. This rotationof the turning element and the vacuum cup secured thereto continues asthe conveyor I2 advances until the held can body is completely turned onthe axis of the bearing I03, from the endwise relation of the body intothe sidewise relation as best shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The segmental slotIII in the turning element I82 is of suiiicient length to keep thevacuum cup in communication with the vacuum pipe I I2 during thisturning operation so as to maintain the cup in a vacuumized condition.

When the gripper unit 1| and. its held body A reaches the chute I2, thebody is in a full sidewise relation. Hence when the body is released, bythe breaking of the vacuum in th cup IIlI as hereinbefore explained, thebody falls into the chute I2 and rolls on its side, guided by the rails66 of the chute, to any suitable place of deposit. The bottom guide rail66 serves as a stripper for removing the body from the vacuum cup.

After delivering a can body A into the chute I2, the cam groove I21 ofthe stationary cam I28 shifts the cam roller I25 and its turning arm I23of the gripper unit H back into its normal position as the unit travelsdownwardly around the idler sprockets i5 and along the lower run of theconveyor '12. This oscillates the turning element I92 into its normalposition to receive another can body in an endwise relation from theconveyor I I. This completes the cycle of operation of the mechanism.

Thus in both of the described forms of the instant invention, can bodiesor other articles traveling singly or in a continuous procession may bereceived in one convenient position and gently turned into anotherdesired position best adapted for subsequent gripping or otherreception, while maintaining the article under full control and withoutdamaging the article in any respect.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a mechanism for conveying and positioning magnetizable articlessuch as can bodies, the combination of a movable electro-magnet gripperunit engageable with a magnetizable article for receiving and holdingsaid article, transfer means for moving said gripper unit along apredetermined path of travel, article turning means for turning saidunit into one position for receiving said article in axial alignmentwith said path and for turning said unit and the received article intoanother position to reposition the article for further disposition,means for feeding said articles in the direction of and axially intosaid predetermined path and means for energizing and deenergizing saidelectro-magnet gripper'unit in time with the travel of said unit forholding said article on and releasing it from said unit.

2. In a mechanism for conveying and positioning cylindrical can bodies,the combination of a conveyor for advancing can bodies in a directionlongitudinally of their axes, a stationary discharge chute spaced fromsaid conveyor for guiding rolling can bodies, a transfer device locatedbetween said conveyor and said discharge chute for transferring thebodies from the con veyor to the chute, a plurality of spaced gripperunits carriedby said transfer device and mounted for independent turninmovement therein for receiving can bodies from said conveyor, means forcontinuously moving said transfer device adjacent to and in the samedirection as said conveyor to carry said gripper units successively fromsaid conveyor to said discharge chute, gripper turning means connectedwith said gripper units for first retaining a gripper unit againstrotation to receive a can body, said gripper turning means later turningsaid received can body While being carried by said moving transferdevice to turn the longitudinal axis of the body transversely of saiddischarge chute, and holding means acting through said gripper units forholding each can body in its gripper unit during said transfer andturning movements, said holding means releasing said can body forrolling discharge into said discharge chute.

3. In a mechanism for conveying and positioning articles such as tubularcan bodies and the like, the combination of feeding means for advancingsaid articles in a direction longitudinally of their axes, dischargemeans for receiving said articles with their axes in a substantiallyhorizontal position at right angles from that in which they wereadvanced by said feeding means, a transfer wheel mounted for rotation ina vertical plane and disposed between said feeding means and saiddischarge means, means for rotating said transfer Wheel adjacent saidfeeding means in the same direction as said articles are advanced bysaid feeding means, a gripper unit mounted on said transfer Wheel formovement relative thereto, means on said gripper unit for receiving andholding an article, and turning means operable upon said gripper unit asit travels with said transfer wheel for turning said receiving andholding means into alignment with the longitudinal axis of an advancedarticle for receiving and holding said article, said turning means alsoacting upon said unit for shifting it relative to said transfer Wheelfor moving the axis of the article into said right angled position toreposition the article for discharge into said discharge means.

4. In a mechanism for conveying and positioning articles such as canbodies, the combination of a rotatable pneumatic gripper unit engageablewith an article for receiving and holding said article, transfer meansfor moving said gripper unit along a predetermined path of travel,article turning means for turning said suction gripper unit into oneposition for receiving said articles in axial alignment with said pathand for turning said unit and the received article into another positionto reposition the article for further disposition, means for feedingsaid articles in the direction of and axially into said predeterminedpath, and valve means 10 connecting with said pneumatic gripper unit forestablishing and breaking a partial vacuum in said gripper unit in timewith the travel of said unit for holding said article on and releasingit from said unit.

5. In a mechanism for conveying and positioning can bodies and the like,the combination of means for feeding a can body longitudinally in apredetermined path, a vertically disposed transfer conveyor adjacentsaid path, said transfer conveyor having a normally deactivated grippermember rotatably mounted at its inner end in said transfer conveyor, theouter end of said member terminating in a can body gripper, means foractivating said member to initially grip said body while the body ismoving along said predetermined path, means for driving said conveyor,the direction of movement of the conveyor being substantially the sameas the direction of said body movement at the point where said gripperinitially engages the body, a stationary cam adjacent the path of theinner end of said gripper member, cam follower means on the inner end ofsaid gripper member and in operative following engagement with said camto turn said gripper member and the body thereon through substantially90, discharge means adjacent said transfer conveyor for receiving saidturned body, and means for deactivating said gripper in time to releaseand drop said body from the transfer conveyor into said discharge means.

JOHN E. SOCKE.

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